Band of Brothers

[Jack]

Matt mentioned BoB in one of his post's this evening and it got me thinking about the series.

 

Without doubt this series was truly something else and unquestionable it has flicked the switch in many peoples brain for WW2 history. This of course is only a good thing, but, this is only a snap shot of one company from hundreds of thousands from around the world, from WW2 up to the present day, now I can understand why we aren't making films from present day conflicts.

 

But with the amount of awareness and interest that BoB has created about WW2 (in particular the US story) I get rather frustrated with the fact that the British films makers aren't doing the same. There is so much that the nation could learn from these films!

[Karoshi]

Jack you raise several very interesting points. I was recently party to a lengthy (heated) long running debate on another forum regarding WW2 history and Hollywood.

 

BoB was at the centre of the discussions. U 571, Kesserine Pass, Battle of the Bulge, Bridge too Far, Patton, Kelly’s Heroes, When Trumpets Fade, and (later) more recent events from 'Nam and Somalia, were all mentioned.

 

Now the thread in question started out as a simple uniform query, it turned into a slanging match. Why ? Well basically these films were being quoted as REFERENCE WORKS.

 

"I saw it in the film so it MUST be true" was a repeated comment.

 

I have a serious concern that these Hollywood portrayals of world events, AS GOOD AS THEY ARE, are often taken as fact, and are sometimes quoted as a source of reference material to History students, Re-enactors and Military History enthusiasts. The visual impression is powerful and we all want to believe that the Producers/Directors of these films did their own research and got it right. We all know that that isn't always the case.

 

Regrettably BoB also falls into this category. It is NOT historically accurate, and in fairness I don't this the film claimed too be, BUT it is now being quoted (sticking my neck out) by some re-enactors as being so.

 

It worries me that with the passing of time the visual images from these 'modern' works are taken as fact.

 

Kelly’s Heroes (sorry Oddball) relates to a real infantry unit, in a real theatre of operation, BoB also, U571 as well, the list goes on. There is an uncomfortable mix of fact and fiction and we are drawn into the belief that, because we can relate to the fact element, then the unknown fiction element may also be true.

 

Jack said; There is so much that the nation could learn from these films! Jack I regret the nation does learn from these films, but its not always the truth.

 

One trip to the local library and a read of a well researched book, will often put things in perspective. But hell we all like to take the easy route and sit in the comfort of a warm theatre with our popcorn and drinks, it’s so much more enjoyable.

 

Yes I do care.

 

Karoshi

 

Dons tin hat and dashes to bunker, waiting re enactor flaming.

[Guest matt]

Karoshi is right,for many folks if it appears on screen,be it TV or at the cinema,then it MUST be right.take the 1989 film "Memphis Belle" it took some facts,added a bucket load of fiction and came up with somthing which bears no resemblance to the story of the real Memphis Belle and her crew.

 

Where such films ARE useful is in the fact that they make many people think about WW2 who otherwise wouldn't,but in no way should they be taken as historical fact.don't get me wrong I watched BoB and I thought it was very good BUT I wouldn't personally base any research on it.

 

Karoshi,you mention books,I think what you said about them being "well researched" is very true,there are some very good books indeed,but there are also some very poor ones where the authors havn't bothered to check even basic facts but like in the movies "if it appears in print it must be correct" not always.

 

This country DOES need to recognise it's history,promote it and be pround of it.unfortunatly we don't always do that.

 

I'll get off my soapbox now before I'm pushed...

 

Matt.

[whistlinwolf]

I think folks on here are a little more level headed, but you'd still better dig deep there Karoshi just in case :lol:

 

 

Tim(1)

[Jack]

 

Jack said; There is so much that the nation could learn from these films![/i] Jack I regret the nation does learn from these films, but its not always the truth.

 

 

 

 

What I mean is that it has flicked the 'switch of interest' in a great deal of people, it is then up to the individual to use his own brain and do the research.

[Karoshi]

................it is then up to the individual to use his own brain and do the research.

 

and oh so often thats where it all goes wrong.

[LeeEnfield]

Interesting comments, which I'd agree with;

Im my opinion, the american film company's, are firstly 'selling' the films they produce, to americans; so, it wouldn't do, for then, to show, for example, that it was a british distroyer that captured the Enigma machine,-- or that, during the battle of the bulge, the british army was involved, - this point is also relivant in a lot of american penned books on the subject, and lastly, D-Day, while, there is a nod in the direction of other allied forces being involved, the focus is 99% american.

 

For a British slice, its worth looking to the Imperial War Museum, who have been releasing dvd's of various theatres of war.

While I'm nothing but a customer, of their's, I'd recomend DD Home Entertainment, who stock these titles, at a very reasonable price.

 

I think this subject could run and run.

 

Andy